Implementation of the Metric System, School District 118

No abstract provided by author

Implementation of the Metric System, School District 118

No abstract provided by author

Comparison of whole genome sequencing to restriction endonuclease analysis and gel diffusion precipitin test of Pasteurella multocida

The gel diffusion precipitin test (GDPT) and restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) have commonly been used in serotyping and further identifying isolates of Pasteurella multocida. GDPT has shown problems with repeatability and cross reactions. The hindrance with REA has been the subjectivity of the test. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has become a new option in diagnostic testing due to reduced cost and quicker turnaround time. WGS has shown with other organisms to be a useful diagnostic tool and this study examined its use on P. multocida. This study compared WGS to REA and GDPT on 166 isolates of P. multocida to determine if WGS produced similar results and could be used in place of REA and/or GDPT. The isolates used represented the sixteen reference serotypes (1-16), isolates with REA profiles matching the fowl cholera vaccine strain, and ten different animal species. Isolates originated from across the United States and from Chile. This study found that identical REA profiles clustered together in the phylogenetic tree. It was also discovered that REA profiles that differed by only a few bands also appeared closely related on the tree. The GDPT results were more diverse but it was common to see a single serotype show up repeatedly within clusters. Several errors were also found when examining the REA profiles, such as two assigned numbers for one profile or profiles misidentified. WGS was able to confirm these errors and compensate for the subjectivity in analysis of REA. It also provided epidemiological information that is not available with GDPT. From the data produced in this study it appears that WGS could be used in place or in conjunction with REA and GDPT

White racial attitudes in the age of Obama

What is the nature of White racial attitudes in the age of Obama? This dissertation project seeks to answer this question in three distinct ways. The first empirical chapter examines the role of economic insecurity and education on White racial attitudes. The second empirical chapter evaluates the relative importance of individual vs. contextual factors in shaping Whites\u27 attitudes about race. The third empirical chapter seeks to evaluate the extent to which racial color-blindness (as opposed to other racial attitudes) motivates White opposition to race-targeted programs. Findings in empirical chapters one and two are conditional, while clear evidence is demonstrated that color-blindness does not predict white opposition to race-targeted programs in empirical chapter three. Implications for the future study of white racial attitudes are discussed

Exploring Entrepreneurial Mindset and Characteristics: Their Influence on Readiness, Success, and Educational Implications

Entrepreneurship has historically taken the inadequate and misleading misnomer of starting a business. The concept is far more significant and encompasses much more than the act and its process. Typically, the critical missing piece of the subject matter is the individual behind the enterprise–the entrepreneur. Insufficient attention is given to the business proprietor or entrepreneur (one who undertakes an endeavor) and, by extension, their mindset, readiness, skills, and tools to innovate our lives, economy, and world. The field of entrepreneurship and its proprietor merit further specific study. Expressly, the entrepreneur's mindset and readiness warrant attention, study, and analysis. This research study explores the characteristics that predict entrepreneurial success, including mindset and readiness. Independent variables such as communicator/networker, education, motivation, risk taker and control are analyzed in this study to view their effects on entrepreneur and business success. The independent variables are studied and considered in the field of education. The communicator/networker, education, motivation, risk taker and control are independent factors in this context. The study concludes by grouping the essential constructs from six significant independent variables into a survey tool used by educators, administrators, admissions personnel, and other interested parties to attract and filter potential students for entrepreneurial study programs. By studying critical determinants such as mindset, readiness, and skills, this research underscores the need for a holistic approach to entrepreneurship education. It advocates for curricula that extend beyond traditional business topics to encompass a broader array of competencies. Furthermore, developing a survey tool synthesized from this research offers a practical mechanism for identifying and selecting prospective entrepreneurial students. This contribution underscores the significance of the entrepreneur in fostering innovation and societal change, providing valuable insights for future research and practice in entrepreneurship

"The Only True People"

In The Only True People, a multidisciplinary group of archaeologists, linguists, ethnographers, ethnohistorians, and epigraphers evaluate views of Maya history and prehistory in order to more accurately characterize the unique nature of the people known as the Maya by exploring the construction of their identities in the past and the present. Each author evaluates what makes identifiable sociocultural units, or “ethnicities,” distinctive, investigating ethnicity at a number of Maya sites across different time periods: from the northern reaches of the Yucatan to the Southern Periphery, and from the Classic period to the modern day. The volume challenges the notion of an ethnically homogenous “Maya people” within their region and chronology, and the authors explain how their work contributes to the definition of “ethnicity” for ancient Maya society

Thermoforming Dual Heater System

A vacuum thermoforming machine works by heating a clamped polymer sheet and then engaging the tooling to form the desired shape when the plastic is at the proper temperature. The current vacuum thermoforming machine in the Trine University Plastics Lab possesses a single top‐side heater. With the current setup, thicker materials will be scorched on the material’s top side and while the bottom side is not heated enough. In order for thicker materials to be used by the machine and heated effectively, a second bottom‐side heater is needed. Since an off the shelf solution is not feasible, the second heater must be designed and fabricated. Before fabrication of the secondary thermoforming heater, several analyses were conducted to ensure that the heater would function within the necessary operating parameters. Using thermal simulation software, the designed heater enclosure box was tested to ensure that the correct thermal flow was provided as needed. Material properties were then applied to the CAD files and finite element analysis software was used to ensure that the new heating enclosure and track system would be structurally sound. Although variations of the heating enclosure setup were taken into account as part of these analyses, the results favored mirroring the existing heater layout with some adjustments. Instead of sixteen individual horizontal coils like in the top heater, three coils with three bends each were used. Testing showed that the same watt density could be achieved with only three coils using this design. The new heater was also made thinner in order to allow for more space for the mold. The heater tray was insulated in order to protect the mold which rests underneath and also for safety purposes. By providing Trine University with a second heater, the group hopes to expand the capabilities and learning possibilities that the plastics lab provide